269 Comments

I enjoy Morning Shots immensely. Bill and Andrew have always provided informative articles that help to keep me up to speed. But I wanted to give a special shout out to Benjamin Parker this time around. I found that article to be partucularly well written. Thanks, Benjamin.

Expand full comment

My predictions on Trump's next appointments should Patel, Sabbath and Kennedy fail confirmation:

FBI: Gary Ridgway

Director of National Intelligence: Edward Snowden

Director of Homeland Security: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed

Expand full comment

I almost forgot if Kennedy fails Trump will nominate John Carpenter's The Thing as HHS secretary...

Expand full comment

I love the image of the GOP congressional delegation as a big doormat. Can someone with some graphic design skill and a social media following please design a little image of a talking doormat and start this meme!

Expand full comment

"Or are virtue and honor now missing in action?"

In the GOP virtue and honor are for suckers, and excellence in vice is "masculinity is back."

The GOP's base, nominally religious and conservative, now views adultery as fine if one "hates the right people." (that quote from JD Vance)

So here we are, religious conservatives and the Republicans they elect are against virtue and honor, their sole concern is to harm people who aren't them.

Expand full comment

As I read the Kristol and Parker comments on the Legislative Branch, etc, as well as the news of the other things going on, my mind goes to the McCarthy hearings. When will we get to the Welch “decency” comment/moment and the resulting decline in McCarthy’s popularity and censure. When will the legislative branch reassert itself and become a coequal branch of government?

Thanks.

Expand full comment

I love that people debate the degrees of pain that will be felt as America declines day by day. It is the only topic left since the peaceful transfer of power to a dictator and his goals. Congratulations expecting the Senate who never saved America will now save America. I refuse to talk about American being dumbed down. There has to be a better phrase for what is happening now that should have been prevented long ago.

Expand full comment

The United States of America no longer exists! It will be up to Republicans only whether it can be resuscitated!

Expand full comment

Now that General Milley has had his security removed, I’m sure the Iranians will cancel their Fatwa and call off the death squads.

Expand full comment

But how do you effectively fight all this? How do yuo message?

I'm sure you can get people out on the streets for WIC, veteran's assistance, Medicaid, or any one of the dozens of things Trump is screwing up. But when he is goring oxen all over the place there's no single cohesive message to put on a protest sign.

And can you get the American people to passionately side with bureaucrats and Congress anyway?

Expand full comment

I'd show in unvarnished detail the J6 felons attacking police, highlight the people who are losing their jobs (not all are bureaucrats, many have jobs the public can relate to), the freeze on medical (cancer) research. Anything that brings it home visually and emotionally. Do it in a unified matter and get all the Democrats (looking at you Fetterman!) together with the same message. Something, anything to chip away Trump's support (per JVL) and wake people up.

Expand full comment

As an aside, a few weeks ago, I listened to a (now pretty old) interview with Fetterman on Joe Rogan. (I felt I needed to listen to Joe Rogan, just to stay informed.)

I was stunned by how difficult it seemed for him to communicate. I'm not sure if the difficulty is just in speech, or if there's a cognitive deficit as well, but I was pretty shocked. Anyone heard him lately?

Expand full comment

Tim's on right now on MSNBC.

Expand full comment

I keep trying to get media to see this "buyout" for what it is. It is NOT a buyout. You are expected to work every day until September 30. You do not get 7 months of pay for doing nothing--they expect you will be at your desk (yes, at home) every day until September 30. You are allowed to stop working at your federal job before September 30, but if you do, your "benefits" (pay, insurance, etc) ends when you quit. Supervisors will be allowed to make sure you are doing your work, and some may be reassigned, which means some supervisors my throw all the grunt work at you until can't stand it anymore and quit, thus losing your pay and benefits. It does not guarantee you'll be paid till 9/30. It is not a severance package, as you keep working until 9/30.

Expand full comment

My agency decades ago back around 2000 did a buyout when another R decided we could do without some jobs. (As usual, they knew nothing about those jobs.) The buyout was a reduced pension and an upfront cash payout of $25,000 effective on a certain date and you were gone on that date. I would have seriously considered it if I qualified, and I have friends that did take it. As you said, what President Orange Snake POS) and his minions are proposing isn't a buyout.

Expand full comment

If that cheap shots is remotely true, I think we should ALL make it happen. Heck, I'd even pay to see Elon Skum blasted into space - and missing.

Expand full comment

Today when Kennedy was asked about how he would reform the Medicaid program he said “I don’t have a broad proposal for dismantling the program.”

Dismantle? WTF!

His Freudian slip is showing.

Expand full comment

womens rights were the target because a society that doesnt believe in womens rights cannot sustain a democracy. this is why they went after Hilary and womens choice. So if we want our democracy back we need to get womens rights back. It is simple. Look at Afghanistan. Who wants to live there ? But that is what the men wanted and now they have nothing. There is starvation, disease, poverty and emptyness everywhere. so fight for women and we win it all.

Expand full comment

Regarding congress it really is astounding and dumbfounding. That these egomaniacal gas bags worked hard to get themselves elected so that they could have zero voice and just be Trumps boot lickers and gladly give him all their power. So he might say nice things in a tweet? He’s laughing at them behind their back and they think they’re partners. Truly, truly unbelievable

Expand full comment

The have so many stooges like Tommy "I haven't seen the J6 videos" Tuberville who are just as unqualified as the nominees.

Expand full comment

They get paid and get to go to adore their President Orange Snake on the federal dime, at least part of it considering POS charges 3 times the real going rate.

Expand full comment

Once The Don has successfully installed his Consigliere the real entertainment starts. Who among the ambitious will make the first move? It has been almost 50 years since I read The Prince and it still seems to have relevance. Human nature really has not changed all that much, regardless of the veneer of civilization which obscures it.

Expand full comment

What they call loyalty we call patronage and spoils -- over time we crafted laws to end Tammany Hall, but nature being what it is, the disease returns a little at first and then a lot.

Expand full comment